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Exodus 3:1-4:17
At Christmas time, we often think of the Good News announced to lowly shepherds in the hills of Bethlehem. Today, we go back to a similar setting. The setting is the wilderness, and Moses' vocation is that of a mundane shepherd. God chooses a desert mountain named Mt. Horeb (meaning "wasteland") as the place to reveal His Good News of coming deliverance for Israel. In this desolate place, Moses is about to have a face-to-face encounter with the living God far removed from the sights and sounds of the world. Exodus 3:1—
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
Forty years have passed since Moses murdered the Egyptian and fled Pharaoh's wrath. Forty years—day in and day out—Moses tended another's flock. A foreshadowing of his guiding, guarding, feeding, and caring for the LORD'S wandering flock—Israel—in same desert for 40 years. But who would have guessed it? Surely, not Moses! His faith has taken a wrong turn. But behind the scenes God is overruling and making his road straight.
This prince instructed in all the wisdom of Egypt must have felt as if he wasted his life in this wasteland. He had so much going for him and he blew it. Nevertheless, there on the far side of the desert (typical of his barren life), there awaited a mountaintop experience—an encounter with the living God of all creation. He was about to know Yahweh through personal experience!
A new day dawned and everything had to change for Moses. When he went out with his sheep that morning, he had no idea that he would meet God. It pays to be ready, for we never know what God has planned for us.
GOD APPEARS TO MOSES. Exodus 3:2-6—
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses
saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up."
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
There was a God to be seen. Why was Moses afraid to look at God? Staring into the raw power of God struck terror in Moses' soul. He felt unworthy to stand before a holy God and, by looking away, demonstrated his reverence for Him. Here we have Proverbs 9:10—
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
The bush was on fire, but it did not burn—a strange sight. The appearance of God in the fire anticipates His appearance in the pillar of fire that leads the people in the desert and His appearances on Mt. Sinai.
While the bush is a divine attention-getting device, it is not simply that. There is a threefold-significance in THE BURNING BUSH.
First, it was a picture of God, for it revealed His glory and power, yet it was not consumed. Moses needed to be reminded of the glory and power of God, for he was about to undertake an impossible task.
Second, the bush symbolized Israel going through the fire of affliction, but no consumed. How often nations have tried to exterminate the Jews; only to fail!
Finally, the bush illustrated Moses—a humble shepherd, who with God's help would become a fire that could not be put out!
Notice how God identifies Himself—I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER, THE GOD OF
ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC AND THE GOD OF JACOB. God specifically ties into the faith of Moses' own family. Moreover, the naming of patriarchs demonstrates continuity in God between Moses and his ancestors. God's history with Israel is of one piece. His identification harkens back to the Covenant promises made in Genesis. Moses is about to be apprised of the fact that He will be instrumental in the fulfillment of these promises.
GOD APPOINTS MOSES. Exodus 3:7-10—
The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them
crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I
have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."
I HAVE SEEN; I HAVE HEARD, I AM CONCERNED; I HAVE COME DOWN; I HAVE SEEN; I AM SENDING YOU. What a message of grace! Certainly, Moses often had wondered about the condition of his beloved people, and now he was assured that God was coming to their rescue.
The LORD called Moses as He did with every true prophet. He repeats his name for emphasis, "MOSES, MOSES." Possibly, God had Moses take off his sandals because his service would not be commonplace. Certainly, Moses who had been brought up in Pharaoh's court is now being taught manners. He is not to become so familiar with God that he does not stand in awe in the presence of His holiness.
We might easily apply these verses to the situation when Christ was born. It was a time of bondage, trial, and sorrow, yet God came down in the Person of His Son, to deliver men from sin.
God had a definite plan, to bring the Israelites out of Egypt to the Land promised to the descendents of Abraham in the fourth generation of their bondage. What God starts, He finishes! Moses must have rejoiced to hear God was about to deliver Israel, but then he heard the news that he was the deliver!
SO NOW, GO. I AM SENDING YOU TO PHARAOH TO BRING MY PEOPLE THE ISRAELITES OUT OF EGYPT. MY PEOPLE is an indication that God's relationship to this people is not established at the Red Sea or at Sinai; they are MY PEOPLE for God before any of these events takes place.
There is to be no debate, Moses is simply to obey God's clear-cut command "GO." The key word of Chapters 3 and 4 is GO. It occurs 18 times in these two chapters.
Unfortunately and unlike Isaiah, who saw the glory of God, Moses did NOT reply, "HERE AM I, SEND ME." Instead, Moses reached into his excuse bag and pulled out five objections that he thought might work! On the surface, it appears that Moses is merely raising objections, but they turn out to be well-concealed excuses. But for each excuse God has an answer.
MOSES' FIRST EXCUSE and GOD'S ANSWER. Exodus 3:11-12—
But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain."
HERE AM I of verse 4 has become WHO AM I? of verse 11. Initial readiness turns into reluctance once the task is outlined.
This excuse concerns Moses' OWN SIGNIFICANCE—"WHO AM I?" What a dramatic change has taken place. Forty years before Moses thought that all the Israelites would rally around him—the prince of Egypt. Then he was proud, now he is humble—a mere hired man, the shepherd of another's flock. All the cockiness and arrogance have been kicked out of Moses—He is ready to worship and serve God.
The LORD'S all-sufficient answer was "I WILL BE WITH YOU." When Jesus gave the GREAT COMMISSION to His disciples, He assured also them— "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age".
What a promise! What an assurance! Jesus was called "IMMANUEL"—GOD WITH US and He affirmed that name. He is with us through His Spirit, in His Word, and by His providential care, and with His divine presence. This is promise that carried Dr. David Livingstone into the heart of darkest Africa and that encouraged and enabled messengers of Christ down through the years to go with the Gospel.
Moses is assured of a constant divine presence; in all that he does he will not be left to his own resources. His "I" will be accompanied by the divine "I." His "Who am I?" will be under girded by the God who knows who he is. This gives Moses possibilities he would not have in himself.
God's personal presence with Moses would be the SIGN, a visible guarantee that what He promised He would surely fulfill. The promise "I WILL BE WITH YOU" sustained Moses for forty years, as it later did Joshua. Certainly, Christ's same promise help His disciples win over impossible odds. One should not be a pastor if he does not have the assurance of God's calling and Christ's presence in the Holy Spirit to sustain him.
Who we are is not important; that God is with us is important, for without Him we can do nothing. Jesus said in John 15:5—
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
WHEN YOU HAVE BROUGHT THE PEOPLE OUT OF EGYPT, YOU WILL WORSHIP GOD ON THIS MOUNTAIN. In this purpose statement by God, we have the overall movement of the Book of Exodus—FROM BONDAGE TO WORSHIP.
Whenever and whomever God redeems—whether they are OT Saints or NT Saints, He expects them to worship Him. That is the goal, purpose, objective of REDEMPTION. Many people who claim to be redeemed fail miserably to satisfy God's purpose in rescuing them from the bondage of the world, the flesh, and the Devil.
MOSES' SECOND EXCUSE and GOD'S ANSWER. Exodus 3:13-17—
Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, `The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, `What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: `I AM has sent me to you.'" God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, `The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.
"Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, `The LORD, the God of your fathers— the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.'
Moses continues the conversation with a question. His "WHO AM I?" now becomes "WHO ARE YOU?"
We admire Moses for his humility, for forty years before he would have told God who he was! He was learned . . . and mighty in words and in deeds." But the years of discipline in the desert changed Moses. Now he wants to know "WHO IS SENDING ME?" His human openness is met by divine openness.
The answer is YAHWEH—I AM WHO I AM. The name YAHWEH denotes I ALWAYS WAS, I AM, I ALWAYS WILL BE. I am the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. "I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end"—the ETERNAL ONE.
I AM the God who relates to you, the God who is with you. I AM really and truly present, ready to help and to act. I AM all-sufficient declares God. I AM sovereign, all-powerful, all-knowing—I AM WHO I AM! God can be counted on to be who God is; God will be faithful. The divine name YAHWEH shapes Israel's story, and the story gives greater texture to His name.
Our Lord Jesus added to the texture of the divine name in the Gospel of John where we find the seven great I AM statements. We can readily understand why the Jews of Christ's day thought our Lord was blaspheming when He said to them, "Before Abraham was born, I AM." Their reaction was to reach for rocks in order to stone Him. Our response should always be to fall at His feet in order to worship Him.
If God is I AM, then He is always the same, and His purposes will be fulfilled. God promised that he would see to it that the work was done, in spite of opposition from Pharaoh. God guarantees Moses success based on the fact the He is YAHWEH—I AM WHO I AM. Exodus 3:18-22—
"The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of
Egypt and say to him, `The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.' But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go. "And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed towards this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians."
God has given Moses the agenda and course to follow—the plan of deliverance. God tells Moses that Pharaoh will refuse to let Israel go. Pharaoh's refusal will open God's campaign against the gods of Egypt. God will then bring plagues that will cause Pharaoh to change his mind and send Israel on its way from Egypt.
God has a plan to deliver Israel, and deliver them He will with Moses help. Neither Moses nor God acts alone in bringing Israel out of Egypt. The activity of both is crucial for what is to happen. God needs Moses as an instrument in and through whom to work.
MOSES' SECOND EXCUSE and GOD'S ANSWER. Exodus 4:1-9—
Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, `The LORD did
not appear to you'?" Then the LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" "A staff,"
he replied. The LORD said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the LORD said to him, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail." So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. "This," said the LORD, "is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you."
Then the LORD said, "Put your hand inside your cloak." So Moses put his hand into his
cloak, and when he took it out, it was leprous, like snow. "Now put it back into your cloak," he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.
Then the LORD said, "If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first miraculous
sign, they may believe the second. But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground."
To paraphrase, Moses answered, "THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE ME." But God had just said that they would believe him, so this statement was nothing but open unbelief. Moses was certain of uncertainty. Fear of failure tightened its grip around him. How many never step out in faith because they are afraid that they might fail? Or, that God will fail them?
From Moses' perspective, getting the people to believe him is a more serious issue than God suggests. As it turns out people both listen and do not listen. God does not chide in any way, Moses for his response.
Instead, God gave Moses two miracles—the staff changed to a serpent and the hand made leprous—to encourage him. These would be credentials before the people also. Notice that God takes what we have in our hands and uses it, if we but trust Him. Of itself, the shepherd's staff in Moses' hand was nothing, but in God's hands, it became power.
Moses' own hand had killed a man, but in the second miracle of leprous hand, God shows him that He could heal the weakness of the flesh and use Moses for His glory. His own hand was nothing, but in God's hand, it would do wonders!
Then God added a third sign—turning water into blood. These signs did convince God's people, but they were only imitated by the godless Egyptians. The signs seem to have little effect on Moses. Signs may dazzle, but they may not lead to belief. Belief cannot be compelled by evidence or external signs no matter how unusual. John 12:37 reports—
Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.
This exchange reveals something about the nature of God's relationship with Moses. God does not adopt a take it or leave it attitude. He is open to disagreement, argument, even challenge on Moses' part. God is clearly the authority, but God's approach to Moses within relationship is not that of an absolute dictator. God's way into the future takes into account the human perspective. Even though, Moses is beginning to try God's patience.
MOSES' FOURTH EXCUSE AND GOD'S ANSWER. Exodus 4:10-12—
Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."
God said, "I AM"—and all Moses could say was, "I AM NOT!" He was looking at himself and his failures instead of to God and His power. In this case, Moses argued that he was not a gifted speaker. But the same God who made the mouth could use it. God does not need eloquence or oratory to teach His great truths.
In fact, Moses is the great lawgiver of the OT and Paul is the great theologian of the NT. Neither would have won a public speaking contest, tickled the ears, or entertained those who listened. Paul writes of himself in his Letters to the Corinthians—
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God . . . For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing . . . I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way (1 Corinthians 1:1, 10; 2 Corinthians 11:6).
God simply accepts that Moses has a speech problem; in fact, God has been involved in this physical development. God does not always call "perfect individuals" to leadership positions among His people. God calls people to tasks with warts and all. Human giftedness is irrelevant to God. Fear of the LORD, wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the Holy One are far more important. Moses' excuse holds no sway. Again, God gives a direct command—NOW GO; I WILL HELP YOU SPEAK AND WILL TEACH YOU WHAT TO SAY. Yet, Moses is still not convinced.
MOSES' FIFTH EXCUSE AND GOD'S ANSWER. Exodus 4:13-17—
But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." Then the LORD's anger
burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so that you can perform miraculous signs with it."
Now it becomes evident that Moses objections were merely well disguised excuses—O LORD, PLEASE SEND SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT. "Send anybody, but not me!" "I don't want to do it!" "There must be someone else better suited for this job than me!"
Patience exploded—Yahweh's anger burned against Moses. God had shown him that He was able to accomplish the impossible, but Moses wanted no parts of God's calling. Did Moses' attitude of unbelief anger God? YES! Did God get angry to impress Moses about the seriousness of His call? YES! God is not to be trifled with. There is nothing worse than to have God angry with you!
An angry God gave Aaron to Moses to be his helper. It is not surprising that more than once, Aaron turned out to be more of a hindrance than a help! He led the nation into idolatry and murmured against Moses. How tragic that Moses was willing to trust a weak man of flesh instead of the living God of heaven.
Was it just chance that Aaron was coming to see his brother at this moment in time? Or was God working at both ends of the line to bring two brothers together to serve Him? Did He know Moses' heart so well that He knew what his response to His calling would be? Did God have Plan B in reserve in case Plan A failed?
God had announced that Moses and the elders would bring a message to Pharaoh. Yet the elders are never said to go to Pharaoh. Apparently, Aaron replaces the elders. This is an important observation for understanding God. Events subsequent to God's statement about the future occasion a change in the way things proceed. The goal is reached, but not always, the way God would have accomplished it alone. He allows man to exercise free will and then overrules his mistakes for His purposes. The greatness of His sovereignty is even more majestic when we understand that God is not pulling the strings like on a puppet.
Here we a clear illustration of how God's possibilities are related to what God has to work with in the world. God has determined to work in and through people in bringing Israel out of Egypt. God's best option in this situation is the choice of Moses alone to carry out the task. Given human nature, God resorts to other options.
God is going to use Moses warts and all. This means that God will move with Moses, even adapting original divine plans. God's way into the future is not simply dictated by His divine word and His will. God places His Word and Will into the hands of another for him to do with what he will. That is for God a risky venture, fraught with negative possibilities. God will now have to work in and through Moses' frailties as well as strengths. This will mean something less than what would have been possible had God acted alone; God is not in total control of ensuing events.
All of God's persuasive powers are brought to bear on Moses and he remains unconvinced. God's best efforts do not meet with instant success. God must resort to plan B, calling Aaron to be Moses' voice.
Obviously, God is not delighted with this option. In fact, God is angry! But God goes with what is possible; using Aaron is now the best option available to God. God always aims for the best in every situation, but God must often work with options that are less than best. God often has to accept what people do with the gifts and talents they have been given.
Moses is eighty years old. He is a very old man for his time. Amazingly, Moses never used the excuse that I often hear. "I am getting too old! I need to wind down. I choose to do other things, but not the LORD'S work." I am sure Moses would have used age as an excuse if God had told him that it would take forty years to get the Israelites to the Promised Land. Do you know what? God gave Moses forty years more years of good health because he served him according to Deuteronomy 34:5-7—
And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.
How many Christians cut short their life because they refuse to be used of God while blessed with good health?
On the other hand, one of the reasons many people are not used is because they are too strong. God could not use Moses at age 40, but He could at age 80. Paul makes a similar observation in 2 Corinthians 12:10—
That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
When Moses learned that he could not deliver Israel, but that God could do it through him, God was ready to use him. It is out of weakness that we are made strong. It is amazing what God can do through a weak vessel.
God's creative work in Moses' life to this point has shaped a human being with endowments suited for the tasks ahead. He is lumpy clay who has been shaped by the Potter's hand. Moses is suited for God's purposes and he is told to "GO!"


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A glittery antique brooch re-purposed into a bracelet.
Antique brooches offer a rich source of inspiration for both necklace and bracelet designs. Sadly brooches are not fashionable so much anymore, however these carefully designed functional pieces of jewellery have a beauty all of their own.
This design features a rhinestone brooch that dates to around the 1930s. Luckily all of the stones were intact and I did not have to search around to replace lost sparklers.
The brooch pin was removed and sharp bits smoothed down and I added reproduction book chain to complete the bracelet design. I've made many, many bracelets using antique brooches and they are one of the most versatile elements to use in assemblage jewellery creations.
This item has SOLD.

subset: commoncrawl


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Correcting code for Strict Standards
Bütçe $30-250 USD
I have a simple Admin Module for some banner ads. Recently I have had some errors after my host updated the PHP version.
Error Message as follows:
"Strict Standards: Only variables should be passed by reference in /home/XXX/public_html/XXX/[url removed, login to view] on line 20"
Code Snippet for the module as follows:
"if ($stmt = $mysqli->prepare($query))
$stmt->bind_param("ss", $user_name,md5($pass_word)); <-- line 20
Looking for someone to tweak the code so that it becomes Strict Code compliant.
Work must be done on directly to the code. No encrypted code base anywhere.
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Next Level Advanced Sports Camps at The J
Entering 3rd – 7th Grades | 20 camper maximum
6 Weekly Sessions: 9 am - 4 pm
Early Care: 7-9am | Late Care: 4-6pm
Enrollment limited to 20 J Campers per session. Enroll early to save your place!
Take your game to the Next Level with a week of both sport specific training and core athletic training all under the direction of knowledgeable coaches dedicated to helping young athletes. Athletes will be divided by age/skill level as appropriate. In the afternoon, Next Level Sports Campers will join Sports Camp for swimming and sports activities.
Week 1: Next Level Soccer (Coed)
Week 2: Next Level Baseball/Girls Softball
Week 4: Next Level Football
Week 6: Next Level Soccer (Coed)
Week 8: Next Level Baseball/Girls Softball
Week 9: Next Level Basketball (Coed)
Cost per week:
Full Time: $428 | $283 with Member Discount
Early & Late Care: $16 each per day | $8 each per day with Member Discount
Half Day option 9 am – Noon also available for 3rd-7th graders. Half day registration found at www.jsportskc.com.


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Avery has just released stock labels that are perfect for my images offered on my website, using templates specifically designed for 2" round (Avery #22807, glossy white) and 2 1/2" (Avery #22808, Kraft brown) print-to-edge jar lid labels. These come in white and Kraft brown, for now. The Ink Jet labels are a little more limited at this time, but if you have a laser printer, you can also get very nice wine bottle labels. I am sure that these labels will become more available as their popularity grows. One good thing about Avery Labels is that they are usually available in your local office supply store...or, I am sure, the proprietor would be happy to order them for you.
Two inch square labels (Avery 22806, white) are also available.
The company, also, of course, has a web site for ordering blank printable labels where you will be able to find the latest label stock designs.
Avery Label Products
But, before you get too excited, I must say that the templates that I tried to download from the site are not working for me, but I have a relatively old computer. I hope that they get the bugs worked out, because the labels themselves are perfect for jars, jar lids and bottles. I am still trying to make these templates work, so, if I find out the secret, I'll let you know!


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All riders to be mounted by 10.45am to move off at 11.00am. The ride will be in one group.
BBQ / refreshments will be available afterwards. Adults £15, Children (16 years and under) £10.
For further details go to www.mssh.co.uk/downloads
Please contact Stephen Palmer: 07976 691 968 / firstname.lastname@example.com to secure your place
Calendar/Events > Summer Activities >


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The doctors and staff at Osseo Dental Clinic welcome you to our practice!
Located in Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines, we are a talented team of leading dentistry professionals that provide our patients the best care with compassion and respect. Our vision is to offer detailed and personalized services while honoring our commitment to education and health. We are committed to creating an atmosphere of caring for our patients and team members alike.
We uphold an outstanding full service operation in all levels of dentistry to ensure you the best care possible. If there is any way we can improve your smile utilizing our cosmetic procedures, for example – veneers, whitening and tooth colored fillings, please ask us. We look forward to seeing you, your family, and friends in our practice soon. It is our goal to help you look and feel your absolute best through the quality dental care that we offer, and we look forward to servicing your dental needs. -Your Makati Dentist
Resident DentistRico Martin I. Gerochi, DDMSpecialties:ImplantologyOral SurgeryOrthodonticsRestorative Dentistry Axel A. Trecho-Gerochi, DDMSpecialties:General DentistryImplantologyEndodonticsOrthodonticsCosmetic and Restorative DentistryPediatric Dentistry (Pedodontics)


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Nancy, President of Century 21 River-Valley Realty Ltd. is a native of Saint John. Nancy entered real estate in 1977 and prior to incorporating Century 21 River-Valley Realty Ltd. in 1988, she was the Broker/Manager of Montreal Trust Real Estate.
She is committed to the associates of this firm and offers an ethical and forward thinking environment. Century 21 River-Valley Realty Ltd. has been the recipient of the Prestigious Centurion Award continuously since 1992.
At the present time, Nancy is the Past President of the Saint John Real Estate Board, a past director of the New Brunswick Real Estate Association, and past Chairman of the Century 21 Council for NB and PEI. She is also the past Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade.
Nancy is currently Co-Chair of Access Atlantica www.accessatlantica.com. In 2008 the Atlantic Provinces Chambers of Commerce (APCC) awarded Nancy the Harvey Webber Commemorative Award in recognition of her contribution to the Saint John Board of Trade and enhancing the Chamber of Commerce movement in her province & region.


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This past Christmas we finally had our first real tree as a family. We picked Mausi up early on her last day of school, and we went as a family to cut down our tree. It was beautiful. It was everything a Christmas tree should be. We took down our Christmas tree yesterday; two days short of the 12 days of Christmas, but it seemed like the perfect time, just before school started again and life resumed it's chaotic pace.
Here, the city will come and pick up your Christmas tree if you leave it at the edge of the road. They will chip it, and use it. This, of course, is a perfectly viable option for a tree, but we were interested in using our tree ourselves.
We decided that for the time being we would put the tree on our back deck. All the decorations were safely put away for another year, all except the garland of dried oranges, cranberries and popcorn we had made to decorate. This garland stayed on. We then set about making bird-feed pinecones.
We smeared nut butter on the pinecones and then rolled them in birdseed. I attached a small piece of cooking twine to the top of each pine cone, with which to hand the pinecones from the tree.
Once finished we headed out to decorate our tree for the second time! This time for the birds and squirrels.
I have other plans for what will be left of the tree in the spring, but for now our little Christmas tree can serve as a perch for winter birds.
The Season
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Tag Archives: think
#432893 These 4 Tech Trends Are Driving Us ...
From a first-principles perspective, the task of feeding eight billion people boils down to converting energy from the sun into chemical energy in our bodies.
Traditionally, solar energy is converted by photosynthesis into carbohydrates in plants (i.e., biomass), which are either eaten by the vegans amongst us, or fed to animals, for those with a carnivorous preference.
Today, the process of feeding humanity is extremely inefficient.
If we could radically reinvent what we eat, and how we create that food, what might you imagine that "future of food" would look like?
In this post we'll cover:
Vertical farms
CRISPR engineered foods
The alt-protein revolution
Farmer 3.0
Let's dive in.
Vertical Farming
Where we grow our food…
The average American meal travels over 1,500 miles from farm to table. Wine from France, beef from Texas, potatoes from Idaho.
Imagine instead growing all of your food in a 50-story tall vertical farm in downtown LA or off-shore on the Great Lakes where the travel distance is no longer 1,500 miles but 50 miles.
Delocalized farming will minimize travel costs at the same time that it maximizes freshness.
Perhaps more importantly, vertical farming also allows tomorrow's farmer the ability to control the exact conditions of her plants year round.
Rather than allowing the vagaries of the weather and soil conditions to dictate crop quality and yield, we can now perfectly control the growing cycle.
LED lighting provides the crops with the maximum amount of light, at the perfect frequency, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
At the same time, sensors and robots provide the root system the exact pH and micronutrients required, while fine-tuning the temperature of the farm.
Such precision farming can generate yields that are 200% to 400% above normal.
Next let's explore how we can precision-engineer the genetic properties of the plant itself.
CRISPR and Genetically Engineered Foods
What food do we grow?
A fundamental shift is occurring in our relationship with agriculture. We are going from evolution by natural selection (Darwinism) to evolution by human direction.
CRISPR (the cutting edge gene editing tool) is providing a pathway for plant breeding that is more predictable, faster and less expensive than traditional breeding methods.
Rather than our crops being subject to nature's random, environmental whim, CRISPR unlocks our capability to modify our crops to match the available environment.
Further, using CRISPR we will be able to optimize the nutrient density of our crops, enhancing their value and volume.
CRISPR may also hold the key to eliminating common allergens from crops. As we identify the allergen gene in peanuts, for instance, we can use CRISPR to silence that gene, making the crops we raise safer for and more accessible to a rapidly growing population.
Yet another application is our ability to make plants resistant to infection or more resistant to drought or cold.
Helping to accelerate the impact of CRISPR, the USDA recently announced that genetically engineered crops will not be regulated—providing an opening for entrepreneurs to capitalize on the opportunities for optimization CRISPR enables.
CRISPR applications in agriculture are an opportunity to help a billion people and become a billionaire in the process.
Protecting crops against volatile environments, combating crop diseases and increasing nutrient values, CRISPR is a promising tool to help feed the world's rising population.
The Alt-Protein/Lab-Grown Meat Revolution
Something like a third of the Earth's arable land is used for raising livestock—a massive amount of land—and global demand for meat is predicted to double in the coming decade.
Today, we must grow an entire cow—all bones, skin, and internals included—to produce a steak.
Imagine if we could instead start with a single muscle stem cell and only grow the steak, without needing the rest of the cow? Think of it as cellular agriculture.
Imagine returning millions, perhaps billions, of acres of grazing land back to the wilderness? This is the promise of lab-grown meats.
Lab-grown meat can also be engineered (using technology like CRISPR) to be packed with nutrients and be the healthiest, most delicious protein possible.
We're watching this technology develop in real time. Several startups across the globe are already working to bring artificial meats to the food industry.
JUST, Inc. (previously Hampton Creek) run by my friend Josh Tetrick, has been on a mission to build a food system where everyone can get and afford delicious, nutritious food. They started by exploring 300,000+ species of plants all around the world to see how they can make food better and now are investing heavily in stem-cell-grown meats.
Backed by Richard Branson and Bill Gates, Memphis Meats is working on ways to produce real meat from animal cells, rather than whole animals. So far, they have produced beef, chicken, and duck using cultured cells from living animals.
As with vertical farming, transitioning production of our majority protein source to a carefully cultivated environment allows for agriculture to optimize inputs (water, soil, energy, land footprint), nutrients and, importantly, taste.
Farmer 3.0
Vertical farming and cellular agriculture are reinventing how we think about our food supply chain and what food we produce.
The next question to answer is who will be producing the food?
Let's look back at how farming evolved through history.
Farmers 0.0 (Neolithic Revolution, around 9000 BCE): The hunter-gatherer to agriculture transition gains momentum, and humans cultivated the ability to domesticate plants for food production.
Farmers 1.0 (until around the 19th century): Farmers spent all day in the field performing backbreaking labor, and agriculture accounted for most jobs.
Farmers 2.0 (mid-20th century, Green Revolution): From the invention of the first farm tractor in 1812 through today, transformative mechanical biochemical technologies (fertilizer) boosted yields and made the job of farming easier, driving the US farm job rate down to less than two percent today.
Farmers 3.0: In the near future, farmers will leverage exponential technologies (e.g., AI, networks, sensors, robotics, drones), CRISPR and genetic engineering, and new business models to solve the world's greatest food challenges and efficiently feed the eight-billion-plus people on Earth.
An important driver of the Farmer 3.0 evolution is the delocalization of agriculture driven by vertical and urban farms. Vertical farms and urban agriculture are empowering a new breed of agriculture entrepreneurs.
Let's take a look at an innovative incubator in Brooklyn, New York called Square Roots.
Ten farm-in-a-shipping-containers in a Brooklyn parking lot represent the first Square Roots campus. Each 8-foot x 8.5-foot x 20-foot shipping container contains an equivalent of 2 acres of produce and can yield more than 50 pounds of produce each week.
For 13 months, one cohort of next-generation food entrepreneurs takes part in a curriculum with foundations in farming, business, community and leadership.
The urban farming incubator raised a $5.4 million seed funding round in August 2017.
Training a new breed of entrepreneurs to apply exponential technology to growing food is essential to the future of farming.
One of our massive transformative purposes at the Abundance Group is to empower entrepreneurs to generate extraordinary wealth while creating a world of abundance. Vertical farms and cellular agriculture are key elements enabling the next generation of food and agriculture entrepreneurs.
Technology is driving food abundance.
We're already seeing food become demonetized, as the graph below shows.
From 1960 to 2014, the percent of income spent on food in the U.S. fell from 19 percent to under 10 percent of total disposable income—a dramatic decrease over the 40 percent of household income spent on food in 1900.
The dropping percent of per-capita disposable income spent on food. Source: USDA, Economic Research Service, Food Expenditure Series
Ultimately, technology has enabled a massive variety of food at a significantly reduced cost and with fewer resources used for production.
We're increasingly going to optimize and fortify the food supply chain to achieve more reliable, predictable, and nutritious ways to obtain basic sustenance.
And that means a world with abundant, nutritious, and inexpensive food for every man, woman, and child.
What an extraordinary time to be alive.
Join Me
Abundance-Digital Online Community: I've created a Digital/Online community of bold, abundance-minded entrepreneurs called Abundance-Digital.
Abundance-Digital is my 'onramp' for exponential entrepreneurs—those who want to get involved and play at a higher level. Click here to learn more.
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#432691 Is the Secret to Significantly Longer ...
Once upon a time, a powerful Sumerian king named Gilgamesh went on a quest, as such characters often do in these stories of myth and legend. Gilgamesh had witnessed the death of his best friend, Enkidu, and, fearing a similar fate, went in search of immortality. The great king failed to find the secret of eternal life but took solace that his deeds would live well beyond his mortal years.
Fast-forward four thousand years, give or take a century, and Gilgamesh (as famous as any B-list celebrity today, despite the passage of time) would probably be heartened to learn that many others have taken up his search for longevity. Today, though, instead of battling epic monsters and the machinations of fickle gods, those seeking to enhance and extend life are cutting-edge scientists and visionary entrepreneurs who are helping unlock the secrets of human biology.
Chief among them is Aubrey de Grey, a biomedical gerontologist who founded the SENS Research Foundation, a Silicon Valley-based research organization that seeks to advance the application of regenerative medicine to age-related diseases. SENS stands for Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence, a term coined by de Grey to describe a broad array (seven, to be precise) of medical interventions that attempt to repair or prevent different types of molecular and cellular damage that eventually lead to age-related diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's.
Many of the strategies focus on senescent cells, which accumulate in tissues and organs as people age. Not quite dead, senescent cells stop dividing but are still metabolically active, spewing out all sorts of proteins and other molecules that can cause inflammation and other problems. In a young body, that's usually not a problem (and probably part of general biological maintenance), as a healthy immune system can go to work to put out most fires.
However, as we age, senescent cells continue to accumulate, and at some point the immune system retires from fire watch. Welcome to old age.
Of Mice and Men
Researchers like de Grey believe that treating the cellular underpinnings of aging could not only prevent disease but significantly extend human lifespans. How long? Well, if you're talking to de Grey, Biblical proportions—on the order of centuries.
De Grey says that science has made great strides toward that end in the last 15 years, such as the ability to copy mitochondrial DNA to the nucleus. Mitochondria serve as the power plant of the cell but are highly susceptible to mutations that lead to cellular degeneration. Copying the mitochondrial DNA into the nucleus would help protect it from damage.
Another achievement occurred about six years ago when scientists first figured out how to kill senescent cells. That discovery led to a spate of new experiments in mice indicating that removing these ticking-time-bomb cells prevented disease and even extended their lifespans. Now the anti-aging therapy is about to be tested in humans.
"As for the next few years, I think the stream of advances is likely to become a flood—once the first steps are made, things get progressively easier and faster," de Grey tells Singularity Hub. "I think there's a good chance that we will achieve really dramatic rejuvenation of mice within only six to eight years: maybe taking middle-aged mice and doubling their remaining lifespan, which is an order of magnitude more than can be done today."
Not Horsing Around
Richard G.A. Faragher, a professor of biogerontology at the University of Brighton in the United Kingdom, recently made discoveries in the lab regarding the rejuvenation of senescent cells with chemical compounds found in foods like chocolate and red wine. He hopes to apply his findings to an animal model in the future—in this case,horses.
"We have been very fortunate in receiving some funding from an animal welfare charity to look at potential treatments for older horses," he explains to Singularity Hub in an email. "I think this is a great idea. Many aspects of the physiology we are studying are common between horses and humans."
What Faragher and his colleagues demonstrated in a paper published in BMC Cell Biology last year was that resveralogues, chemicals based on resveratrol, were able to reactivate a protein called a splicing factor that is involved in gene regulation. Within hours, the chemicals caused the cells to rejuvenate and start dividing like younger cells.
"If treatments work in our old pony systems, then I am sure they could be translated into clinical trials in humans," Faragher says. "How long is purely a matter of money. Given suitable funding, I would hope to see a trial within five years."
Show Them the Money
Faragher argues that the recent breakthroughs aren't because a result of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence or the gene-editing tool CRISPR, but a paradigm shift in how scientists understand the underpinnings of cellular aging. Solving the "aging problem" isn't a question of technology but of money, he says.
"Frankly, when AI and CRISPR have removed cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy or Gaucher syndrome, I'll be much more willing to hear tales of amazing progress. Go fix a single, highly penetrant genetic disease in the population using this flashy stuff and then we'll talk," he says. "My faith resides in the most potent technological development of all: money."
De Grey is less flippant about the role that technology will play in the quest to defeat aging. AI, CRISPR, protein engineering, advances in stem cell therapies, and immune system engineering—all will have a part.
"There is not really anything distinctive about the ways in which these technologies will contribute," he says. "What's distinctive is that we will need all of these technologies, because there are so many different types of damage to repair and they each require different tricks."
It's in the Blood
A startup in the San Francisco Bay Area believes machines can play a big role in discovering the right combination of factors that lead to longer and healthier lives—and then develop drugs that exploit those findings.
BioAge Labs raised nearly $11 million last year for its machine learning platform that crunches big data sets to find blood factors, such as proteins or metabolites, that are tied to a person's underlying biological age. The startup claims that these factors can predict how long a person will live.
"Our interest in this comes out of research into parabiosis, where joining the circulatory systems of old and young mice—so that they share the same blood—has been demonstrated to make old mice healthier and more robust," Dr. Eric Morgen, chief medical officer at BioAge, tells Singularity Hub.
Based on that idea, he explains, it should be possible to alter those good or bad factors to produce a rejuvenating effect.
"Our main focus at BioAge is to identify these types of factors in our human cohort data, characterize the important molecular pathways they are involved in, and then drug those pathways," he says. "This is a really hard problem, and we use machine learning to mine these complex datasets to determine which individual factors and molecular pathways best reflect biological age."
Saving for the Future
Of course, there's no telling when any of these anti-aging therapies will come to market. That's why Forever Labs, a biotechnology startup out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, wants your stem cells now. The company offers a service to cryogenically freeze stem cells taken from bone marrow.
The theory behind the procedure, according to Forever Labs CEO Steven Clausnitzer, is based on research showing that stem cells may be a key component for repairing cellular damage. That's because stem cells can develop into many different cell types and can divide endlessly to replenish other cells. Clausnitzer notes that there are upwards of a thousand clinical studies looking at using stem cells to treat age-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease.
However, stem cells come with their own expiration date, which usually coincides with the age that most people start experiencing serious health problems. Stem cells harvested from bone marrow at a younger age can potentially provide a therapeutic resource in the future.
"We believe strongly that by having access to your own best possible selves, you're going to be well positioned to lead healthier, longer lives," he tells Singularity Hub.
"There's a compelling argument to be made that if you started to maintain the bone marrow population, the amount of nuclear cells in your bone marrow, and to re-up them so that they aren't declining with age, it stands to reason that you could absolutely mitigate things like cardiovascular disease and stroke and Alzheimer's," he adds.
Clausnitzer notes that the stored stem cells can be used today in developing therapies to treat chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis. However, the more exciting prospect—and the reason he put his own 38-year-old stem cells on ice—is that he believes future stem cell therapies can help stave off the ravages of age-related disease.
"I can start reintroducing them not to treat age-related disease but to treat the decline in the stem-cell niche itself, so that I don't ever get an age-related disease," he says. "I don't think that it equates to immortality, but it certainly is a step in that direction."
Indecisive on Immortality
The societal implications of a longer-living human species are a guessing game at this point. We do know that by mid-century, the global population of those aged 65 and older will reach 1.6 billion, while those older than 80 will hit nearly 450 million, according to the National Academies of Science. If many of those people could enjoy healthy lives in their twilight years, an enormous medical cost could be avoided.
Faragher is certainly working toward a future where human health is ubiquitous. Human immortality is another question entirely.
"The longer lifespans become, the more heavily we may need to control birth rates and thus we may have fewer new minds. This could have a heavy 'opportunity cost' in terms of progress," he says.
And does anyone truly want to live forever?
"There have been happy moments in my life but I have also suffered some traumatic disappointments. No [drug] will wash those experiences out of me," Faragher says. "I no longer view my future with unqualified enthusiasm, and I do not think I am the only middle-aged man to feel that way. I don't think it is an accident that so many 'immortalists' are young.
"They should be careful what they wish for."
Image Credit: Karim Ortiz / Shutterstock.com Continue reading
#432539 10 Amazing Things You Can Learn From ...
Hardly a day goes by without a research study or article published talking sh*t—or more precisely, talking about the gut microbiome. When it comes to cutting-edge innovations in medicine, all signs point to the microbiome. Maybe we should have listened to Hippocrates: "All disease begins in the gut."
Your microbiome is mostly located in your gut and contains trillions of little guys and gals called microbes. If you want to optimize your health, biohack your body, make progress against chronic disease, or know which foods are right for you—almost all of this information can be found in your microbiome.
My company, Viome, offers technology to measure your microscopic organisms and their behavior at a molecular level. Think of it as the Instagram of your inner world. A snapshot of what's happening inside your body. New research about the microbiome is changing our understanding of who we are as humans and how the human body functions.
It turns out the microbiome may be mission control for your body and mind. Your healthy microbiome is part best friend, part power converter, part engine, and part pharmacist. At Viome, we're working to analyze these microbial functions and recommend a list of personalized food and supplements to keep these internal complex machines in a finely tuned balance.
We now have more information than ever before about what your microbiome is doing, and it's going to help you and the rest of the world do a whole lot better. The new insights emerging from microbiome research are changing our perception of what keeps us healthy and what makes us sick. This new understanding of the microbiome activities may put an end to conflicting food advice and make fad diets a thing of the past.
What are these new insights showing us? The information is nothing short of mind-blowing. The value of your poop just got an upgrade.
Here are some of the amazing things we've learned from our work at Viome.
1. Was Popeye wrong? Why "health food" isn't necessarily healthy.
Each week there is a new fad diet released, discussed, and followed. The newest "research" shows that this is now the superfood to eat for everyone. But, too often, the fad diet is just a regurgitation of what worked for one person and shouldn't be followed by everyone else.
For example, we've been told to eat our greens and that greens and nuts are "anti-inflammatory," but this is actually not always true. Spinach, bran, rhubarb, beets, nuts, and nut butters all contain oxalate. We now know that oxalate-containing food can be harmful, unless you have the microbes present that can metabolize it into a non-harmful substance.
30% of Viome customers do not have the microbes to metabolize oxalates properly. In other words, "healthy foods" like spinach are actually not healthy for these people.
Looks like not everyone should follow Popeye's food plan.
2. Aren't foods containing "antioxidants" always good for everyone?
Just like oxalates, polyphenols in foods are usually considered very healthy, but unless you have microbes that utilize specific polyphenols, you may not get full benefit from them. One example is a substance found in these foods called ellagic acid. We can detect if your microbiome is metabolizing ellagic acid and converting it into urolithin A. It is only the urolithin A that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Without the microbes to do this conversion you will not benefit from the ellagic acid in foods.
Examples: Walnuts, raspberries, pomegranate, blackberries, pecans, and cranberries all contain ellagic acid.
We have analyzed tens of thousands of people, and only about 50% of the people actually benefit from eating more foods containing ellagic acid.
3. You're probably eating too much protein (and it may be causing inflammation).
When you think high-protein diet, you think paleo, keto, and high-performance diets.
Protein is considered good for you. It helps build muscle and provide energy—but if you eat too much, it can cause inflammation and decrease longevity.
We can analyze the activity of your microbiome to determine if you are eating too much protein that feeds protein-fermenting bacteria like Alistipes putredinis and Tannerella forsythia, and if these organisms are producing harmful substances such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, p-cresol, or putrescine. These substances can damage your gut lining and lead to things like leaky gut.
4. Something's fishy. Are "healthy foods" causing heart disease?
Choline in certain foods can get converted by bacteria into a substance called trimethylamine (TMA) that is associated with heart disease when it gets absorbed into your body and converted to TMAO. However, TMA conversion doesn't happen in individuals without these types of bacteria in their microbiome.
We can see the TMA production pathways and many of the gammaproteobacteria that do this conversion.
What foods contain choline? Liver, salmon, chickpeas, split peas, eggs, navy beans, peanuts, and many others.
Before you decide to go full-on pescatarian or paleo, you may want to check if your microbiome is producing TMA with that salmon or steak.
5. Hold up, Iron Man. We can see inflammation from too much iron.
Minerals like iron in your food can, in certain inflammatory microbial environments, promote growth of pathogens like Esherichia, Shigella, and Salmonella.
Maybe it wasn't just that raw chicken that gave you food poisoning, but your toxic microbiome that made you sick.
On the other hand, when you don't have enough iron, you could become anemic leading to weakness and shortness of breath.
So, just like Iron Man, it's about finding your balance so that you can fly.
6. Are you anxious or stressed? Your poop will tell you.
Our gut and brain are connected via the vagus nerve. A large majority of neurotransmitters are either produced or consumed by our microbiome. In fact, some 90% of all serotonin (a feel-good neurotransmitter) is produced by your gut microbiome and not by your brain.
When you have a toxic microbiome that's producing a large amount of toxins like hydrogen sulfide, the lining of your gut starts to deteriorate into what's known as leaky gut. Think of leaky gut as your gut not having healthy borders or boundaries. And when this happens, all kinds of disease can emerge. When the barrier of the gut breaks down, it starts a chain reaction causing low-grade chronic inflammation—which has been identified as a potential source of depression and higher levels of anxiety, in addition to many other chronic diseases.
We're not saying you shouldn't meditate, but if you want to get the most out of your meditation and really reduce your stress levels, make sure you are eating the right food that promotes a healthy microbiome.
7. Your microbiome is better than Red Bull.
If you want more energy, get your microbiome back into balance.
No you don't need three pots of coffee to keep you going, you just need a balanced microbiome.
Your microbiome is responsible for calorie extraction, or creating energy, through pathways such as the Tricarboxylic acid cycle. Our bodies depend on the energy that our microbiome produces.
How much energy we get from our food is dependent on how efficient our microbiome is at converting the food into energy. High-performing microbiomes are excellent at converting food into energy. This is great when you are an athlete and need the extra energy, but if you don't use up the energy it may be the source of some of those unwanted pounds.
If the microbes can't or won't metabolize the glucose (sugar) that you eat, it will be stored as fat. If the microbes are extracting too many calories from your food or producing lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and causing metabolic endotoxemia leading to activation of toll-like receptors and insulin resistance you may end up storing what you eat as fat.
Think of your microbiome as Doc Brown's car from the future—it can take pretty much anything and turn it into fuel if it's strong and resilient enough.
8. We can see your joint pain in your poop.
Got joint pain? Your microbiome can tell you why.
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a key pro-inflammatory molecule made by some of your microbes. If your microbes are making too much LPS, it can wreak havoc on your immune system by putting it into overdrive. When your immune system goes on the warpath there is often collateral damage to your joints and other body parts.
Perhaps balancing your microbiome is a better solution than reaching for the glucosamine. Think of your microbiome as the top general of your immune army. It puts your immune system through basic training and determines when it goes to war.
Ideally, your immune system wins the quick battle and gets some rest, but sometimes if your microbiome keeps it on constant high alert it becomes a long, drawn-out war resulting in chronic inflammation and chronic diseases.
Are you really "getting older" or is your microbiome just making you "feel" older because it keeps giving warnings to your immune system ultimately leading to chronic pain?
Before you throw in the towel on your favorite activities, check your microbiome. And, if you have anything with "itis" in it, it's possible that when you balance your microbiome the inflammation from your "itis" will be reduced.
9. Your gut is doing the talking for your mouth.
When you have low stomach acid, your mouth bacteria makes it down to your GI tract.
Stomach acid is there to protect you from the bacteria in your mouth and the parasites and fungi that are in your food. If you don't have enough of it, the bacteria in your mouth will invade your gut. This invasion is associated with and a risk factor for autoimmune disease and inflammation in the gut.
We are learning that low stomach acid is perhaps one of the major causes of chronic disease. This stomach acid is essential to kill mouth bacteria and help us digest our food.
What kinds of things cause low stomach acid? Stress and antacids like Nexium, Zantac, and Prilosec.
10. Carbs can be protein precursors.
Rejoice! Perhaps carbs aren't as bad as we thought (as long as your microbiome is up to the task). We can see if some of the starches you eat can be made into amino acids by the microbiome.
Our microbiome makes 20% of our branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) for us, and it will adapt to make these vital BCAAs for us in almost any way it can.
Essentially, your microbiome is hooking up carbons and hydrogens into different formulations of BCAAs, depending on what you feed it. The microbiome is excellent at adapting and pivoting based on the food you feed it and the environment that it's in.
So, good news: Carbs are protein precursors, as long as you have the right microbiome.
Stop Talking Sh*t Now
Your microbiome is a world class entrepreneur that can take low-grade sources of food and turn them into valuable and useable energy.
You have a best friend and confidant within you that is working wonders to make sure you have energy and that all of your needs are met.
And, just like a best friend, if you take great care of your microbiome, it will take great care of you.
Given the research emerging daily about the microbiome and its importance on your quality of life, prioritizing the health of your microbiome is essential.
When you have a healthy microbiome, you'll have a healthy life.
It's now clear that some of the greatest insights for your health will come from your poop.
It's time to stop talking sh*t and get your sh*t together. Your life may depend on it.
Viome can help you identify what your microbiome is actually doing. The combination of Viome's metatranscriptomic technology and cutting-edge artificial intelligence is paving a brand new path forward for microbiome health.
Image Credit: WhiteDragon / Shutterstock.com Continue reading


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|1,291 sq. ft.
|Property type
|Minimum Stay
|4 - 7 nights
Traditional cosy-style villa newly built (June 2011) this Villa has been created as "home away from home". Villa Kivotos is just 7 km from the Venetian town of Rethymnon, therefore providing the perfect blend of country and city. 120 sqm allows for villa Kivotos to be well laid out offering kitchen/dinner open plan lounge with balcony doors five feet long and with a romantic veranda overlooking the Aegean Sea, three double bedrooms and two bathrooms.
An air of tranquillity has been created by the use of natural materials in the building and decoration of this villa. The swimming pool and flower garden are set in an unspoilt natural environment providing a setting of complete relaxation. Kivotos Villa is unique in that it offers a fully alarmed swimming pool to ensure the safety of our younger guests. Also in the hope that your holiday is completely relaxing, a babysitting can be arranged and with the owners living nearby, your holiday is guaranteed to be unforgettable.
Changeover day
Changeover day can be flexible. The Villa will be available on the day of arrival from 3pm.
We would be grateful if the villa is vacated by 11:00 on the day of departure. Should there be no following booking a later time can be arranged.
Bedrooms: Master bedroom is situated on the ground floor with a double bed. Another double bedroom is situated in the same floor with two single beds.
In the mezzanine floor (basement) is situated a suite with 2 double sofa beds. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning with no extra cost.
Bathrooms: On the ground floor is one bathroom with a luxury shower,wash basin & toilet fully equipped for the wheel chair users.
The second bathroom is also equipped with a Jacuzzi .
Kitchen: Modern wooden kitchen fully equipped offering ,cooker, fridge, freezer, microwave, coffee maker, kettle, toaster and a dinning table with four chairs and stools.
Living Room : The living room with his balcony door of five feet long is the"must " of this villa . It is also equipped with air conditioning, a flat screen satellite TV, DVD player & Hi Fi .
The access road to the property level is smooth
Corridor and doors are wide enough for a wheelchair . A wheelchair user can access to all the main areas of the property
Bedrooms and bathrooms
2 bedrooms are on the ground floor. Main sockets, light switches and alarm cords are
esealy reach from a seated position.
The shower has a 'wheel-in' level access and there is a fold-down shower seat.
Taps and grab rails are reachable from a seated position. There is enough space to safely move from a wheelchair to a toilet seat
Cleaning /towels/linen/maid service :
Villa Kivotos provides all linen and towels, even for the pool. The property is cleaned once per week (for a stay of one week and twice per week for a stay of two weeks and more) with a complete change of linen and towels. Additional cleaning and change of linen can be arranged at an extra cost.
Notes on accommodation
At no extra cost the villa comes with full air-conditioning and Wi-Fi connection and all baby equipment (2 cot, 2 high chair ) hopefully providing the most comfortable & enjoyable holiday in an unforgettable environment. Also a complementary basket will be waiting for you upon arrival.
Amenities/ Facilities provided
Hob, oven, fridge/freezer, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine, iron/ironing board, satellite TV, TV, internet access, air conditioning –heating, ,cot, high chair, barbecue, private pool.
Organic cultivation
In the garden of Kivotos Villa we cultivate vegetables with organic methods. Guests can pick up tomatoes, cucumber, aubergines, pepers and aromatic herbes etc for cooking
Villa Kivotos is designed and equipped also for the disabled and handicapped.
Two bedrooms are in the ground floor, all the doors are opening to an extend of one meter, one bathroom is fully equipped for the weel chair user & access ramps are used in the garden and to the pool to ensure the safety of our guests.
Within the pool area is a barbecue and sun loungers. Pool towels are provide. The swimming pool 8m x 4m is private to the residence of Villa Kivotos and is cleaned daily. No diving is permitted.
The garden is home to some traditional plants to the Mediterranean and parking is provided in the private and secured area of the Villa..
This partner has demonstrated and is committed to fast response times, the best rates, and a great guest experience.
My name is Eva and I leave with my family near the villa. We love animals and named the villa 'Kivotos' (that means ark !)
I have study French literature, took also a diploma in Hotel management and worked many years in the promotion of the Cretan tourism. I was working for 10 years in an organic farm near the villa and from 2016
I manage a boutique hotel of the area. My husband is responsible for the maintenance of this hotel.
Eva Maravelaki purchased this villa in 2011
We were looking for the write spot for more than 3 years.We loved it immediately.
The place combines everything.
Peaceful with fantastic views, just 5 minute drive from the beach and near a village where you can found everything.(3 supermarket, pharmacy ,doctor, baker, many restaurants etc)
We choose to build in this hill because of the fantastic views and the micro-clima of the area .
The clima there isn't as humid as in other places of the island and also it's not very hot as it is up to a hill and even in August you are lucky to have most of the time a 'tiny' breeze. In fact the architect design the villa keeping all this in mind ...If you open the windows from the north and south part of the house you have a natural air condition ! We also build this house using natural materials of the area- wood and tiles
for the roof & stone and wood for the floor- providing a more natural insulation. .
Absolutely fantastic very spacious villa . With fantastic sea and mountain views .Eva and the family are very welcoming and very helpful . We cannot wait to visit again.
I stayed with a friend at Villa Kivotos for a week in October. We had a perfect time and would have liked to have stayed longer but unfortunately we were a late booking and the villa was already booked by other lucky people.
The villa is situated in the hills above Rethymnon and has great views from all levels. The villa itself is modern, spotlessly clean and had every amenity we could have wished for. We didn't cook while we were there but could have if we'd wanted to as it was fully equipped with everything needed. We loved the sliding doors which opened up the villa to the patio outside. I also liked the screens which meant we weren't bothered by flies, mosquitoes etc, although there probably weren't many around by then. It is also very suitable for people with mobility issues as the bathroom is equipped with rails and a walk in shower. Outside, there is a ramp down to the pool area so it's not necessary to use the steps.
So that's the villa...but what really made our stay perfect was the kindness and helpfulness of Eva and her husband. From our arrival, when Eva met us after 10.30pm at the bottom of the hill so that we could follow her to the villa, they couldn't have been more helpful. The following morning there was a problem with our rental car and Eva's husband spoke to the rental company to give them directions so that they could bring a replacement, and then also went to meet them to guide them to the villa. When we managed to get a parking ticket, he also offered to take our payment to the local post office. And one evening we thought we'd locked ourselves out (but hadn't!) and had to call Eva out. The villa is lovely, but they are what makes it really special.
We have just spent two fabulous weeks at the Kivotos Villa. Located up in the hills above Rethymno, it is a great base to explore all the main sights in the Central region. You need a car and we hired a VW Polo which was absolutely perfect for the journeys that we made, particularly some of the narrow alleys in the villages. We visited beaches on the north and south coast, the main historical sights and spent time in Chania and Rethymno. We ate out most days and every meal we had was delicious.
The villa itself is modern, well kitted out with everything you need and generously stocked with all the basics when you first arrive. It is cleaned twice a week, highly secure and air conditioned. Rethymno is only 15 mins drive and there is a local supermarket just 5 mins down the road. The views from the terrace over look the beach on one side and the mountains on the other. So we had beautiful sun rises over the mountains and sunsets over the ocean. Just breathtaking.
We have two kids aged 11 and 9 and there wasn't a day that they weren't in the pool. It was very much their highlight! A great base for families or couples travelling together.
We have stayed in villa's in France over the years and this was by the far the best. Highly recommended!
It was very enjoyable and we loved the swimming pool! We also loved that there were loads of toys for us to play with including my new favourite toy, flippers.
Eva was very friendly and gave us lots of brilliant recommendations for dinner and places to go. We think the villa was beautiful, inside and out, and we would love to go back there again.
From Emily and Sophie 8 years old
We enjoyed our stay in Crete. When we arrived late in the evening Eva met us at a hotel near her home. The fridge had groceries for our breakfast the next day and a bottle of wine. The next day Eva showed us around Rethymno day how to get around and the best restaurant to eat in the area. The Villa was beautiful scenic and had everything we needed. I would highly recommend staying here.
A whole house with a big terrace and a refreshing pool was there only for us. All the rooms air conditioned, the housekeeping lady came twice a week. We enjoyed the magnificient view on the Mediterrainean, the spicy air and Eva's unintrusive hospitality. Upon arrival the fridge was filled with milk, salami, cheese, eggs and jam, there was coffee, bread and olive oil as well.
Eventual feline visits stopped, as the contact offer wasn't taken.
A car is absolutely necessary, the access road is winding but even - and the location is worth it.
For the arrival we were escorted from the main road to the house.
Our best vacation in years.
The nearest beach is at the village of Platanes
(1,5km from the Villa)
The village of Maroulas near by (1,5 klm from the villa) is an historic site with Venetian towers and stone houses of this periode. In the village of Platanes (1,5 km from the villa) you will find a butcher, several restaurants-taverns, 3 super markets, a bakery and a pharmacy.
Rethymno area is characterised by a variety contrasts. Flourishing valleys succeed harsh, mountainous areas, and imposing, rocky shores follow endless sandy beaches. Each area has its own, distinct kind of beauty
Highlights of the area are :The historic monastery of Arkadi, Maroulas, Eleftherna ,Knossos, Phaestos and Gortyna archaeological-sites, the Kourtalioti gorges,Plakias, the Triopetra and Agios Pavlos beach in the south coast. Tavernas, cafes and small shops are at nearby villages while the inhabitants are courteous and hospitable. Various religious festivals are celebrated in the villages, along with traditional fiestas and cultural events in the town of Rethymnon from May till the end of September.
Rethymno is Crete 's third largest town, conveniently placed in the middle of the north coast between Heraklion and Chania, making it ideal base to explore the island, just a forty minute drive to the south coast.
A day trip to Rethymnon-town is a "must" as you will have the opportunity to visit the sixteenth century Venetian Fortezza, the old Venetian-harbour as well admire the Turkish and Venetian buldings of the old town . If you're interested in the history of the island you may also want to step into the Historical and Folk Art Museum for a taste of traditional Cretan-ceramics, textiles, artifacts, jewelry, and clothing from across the centuries.
For more informations check our travel guide :www.rethymnon.gr
|No additional mandatory fees
Rentals prices include air-condition,Wi-Fi,cleaning services, change of bed linen & bathroom towels. A 30% deposit will be required at the time of booking being confirmed, the remainder will be required at your arrival.
* Approximate monthly price. Actual pricing will depend on the days of the month you stay.


text: While there are many conveniences to living in an apartment, you may consider the lack of personal outdoor space a sacrifice. One way to remedy that situation is to find an apartment with a balcony. This gives you some access to the outdoors that you don't have to share with your neighbors. It also gives you the opportunity to grow potted plants, maintain a small container garden or decorate with patio lights and candles.


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Re: Thomas M. Beaird, b. 1846 AL>AR>TX
In reply to:
Thomas M. Beaird, b. 1846 AL>AR>TX
Do you know when and where Thomas & Texanna died?If so, you can obtain a copy of their death certificates, which should give the names of their respective parents.Check Denton Co, TX GenWeb site, some GenWeb counties are putting their cemeteries online.


text: Spool creator Jacqui Stronach grew up learning basket making from aboriginal women in Kakadu & these rope bowls are similar to the coiled baskets found in the Arnhem Land region. All products are made by Jacqui from natural cotton rope, thread & a sewing machine. Jacqui enjoys working with rope as it can be easily sculpted into different shapes. The making of the bowls is also a meditative process & a good way to empty the mind.


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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A person was killed on South Main Street in Winston-Salem Wednesday morning, according to Winston-Salem police.
The wreck happened around 8:30 a.m. in the 4100 block of South Main Street. Two vehicles were involved and one person is confirmed dead.
The road was closed until about noon Wednesday.
The identity of the deceased has not been released.
36.099860 -80.244216


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Along with College of the Atlantic, Healthy Acadia, and the Somesville Church, we have begun the initial stages of the Window Insert Community Build. This fall we'll host the building of up to 300 energy-saving window inserts (essentially interior storms); a sample is in our parlor. Inserts are available at 'retail' price of about $25, and also at minimal cost for those who cannot afford retail; the purpose is to reduce heating costs and carbon footprint, especially for older or less energy-efficient homes. This spring, we need the names of folks who'd like to measure windows for orders, and people who might especially benefit from these inserts, regardless of ability to pay.
FAQ and sign-up sheets are in the parlor, or see Pastor Rob for more information.


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I used SU Old Olive cardstock for the base and the same color ink for the tree image. The black is punched with a MS punch (that I don't know the name of), and I don't know where the ribbon came from (I think it was a prize at a previous shoebox swap?).
Anyway, I had multiple inquiries about the image. It is from the Inkadinkadoo set called "Utopiary." The sentiment is from the SU set called "Quick & Cute."


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Cardinal Preview Day 2018
Save the date for Cardinal Preview Day on October 13, 2018!
We look forward to welcoming you to our next Cardinal Preview Day on October 13, 2018! Details to be announced soon.
In the meantime, there are plenty of other ways you can visit the University of Louisville. Learn about our unique Campus Visit Program for high school students.


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Please Wait
If you have forgotten your password, simply enter the e-mail address you used to register on this site to begin the password reset process.
Bodylogix Natural Isolate is an organic whey isolate supplement geared towards protein users looking for a more holistic natural whey supplement which is high in protein. No artificial flavours or sweetners, Natural Isolate contains a complete protein profile that will provide additional essential amino acids to your diet.
Product Highlights


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What is the Alexa Rank?
Put simply, the Alexa Rank is a ranking system which bases its ranking schema on the level of traffic each website receives from the number of people who visit a website with the Alexa toolbar installed. See Alexa's definition of the Alexa Traffic Rank
Why would you want to increase your Alexa rank? Webmasters, advertisers and ad networks use your blog's Alexa rank as a gauge to determine the worth of a link on your website. If you depend on link or site selling as a form of monetization you'll definitely want to increase your Alexa rank, because it'll increase your bargaining power when it comes to ad pricing. ReviewMe, Text Link Ads and Sponsored Reviews are just three of the networks which base your ad selling strength on Alexa Ranks.
Here's what you need to know in-short. The basis for many of these techniques is the fact that your Alexa ranking is based reach and page views. However it only counts those who visit your site and have already downloaded the Alexa toolbar. Anyone can download the toolbar for free which is automatically added to your browser and tracks the sites you're visiting. Increasing visits from those who do not have the Alexa toolbar installed will not help your Alexa ranking. Below I have listed 10 tips, that would be useful to increase alexa rank:
- Install the Alexa toolbar or Firefox's SearchStatus extension and set your blog as your homepage. This is the most basic step.
- Put up an Alexa rank widget on your website. I did this a few days ago and receive a fair amount of clicks every day. According to some, each click counts as a visit even if the toolbar is not used by the visitor.
- Encourage others to use the Alexa toolbar. This includes friends, fellow webmasters as well as site visitors/blog readers. Be sure to link to Alexa's full explanation of their toolbar and tracking system so your readers know what installing the toolbar or extension entails.
- Work in an Office or own a company? Get the Alexa toolbar or SS Firefox extension installed on all computers and set your website as the homepage for all browsers. Perhaps it will be useful to note that this may work only when dynamic or different IPs are used.
- Get friends to review and rate your Alexa website profile. Not entirely sure of its impact on rankings but it might help in some way.
- Write or Blog about Alexa. Webmaster and bloggers love to hear about ways to increase their Alexa rank. They'll link to you and send you targeted traffic (i.e. visitors with the toolbar already installed). This gradually has effects on your Alexa ranking.
- Pay Cybercafe owners to install the Alexa toolbar and set your website as the homepage for all their computers. This might be difficult to arrange and isn't really a viable solution for most.
- Try Alexa auto-surfs. Do they work? Maybe for brand new sites. I think they are mostly suitable for new websites with a very poor Alexa rank. Note that there be problems when you try to use auto surfs alongside contextual ads like Adsense. They aren't also long term solutions to improving your Alexa Rank so I suggest using with caution.


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Sunday, January 25, 2015
9 comments :
Happy Happy Birthday Jan! You're right a birthday will never be complete without a birthday cake. Di bale okay pa din naman yung cake mo after mahawakan ni baby. :)ReplyDelete
Wishing you another year full of happiness and love!
belated happy birthday sis jan! i find your name cute and unique..all the best for you!ReplyDelete
Happy, happy birthday, baby girl! hehehe The cake still looks delicious. You look so happy.ReplyDeleteReplies
Buti na lang at nalaman agad ni Mama na mali yung naregister kung hind "baby girl" pangalan ko ngayon hehehe.. Thanks Kat! :-)Delete
Happy birthday in arrears, and I wish you every thing you wish yourself.ReplyDelete
Please do keep my cake as well.
Belated happy birthday! That certainly got me drooling for a chocolate cake :DReplyDelete
Btw, if you're interested I'm giving away 6 3D pop-out cards for my Pre-Valentines Day giveaway. Hope you check it out and join too. --> http://bit.ly/1KVfSLw
Belated Happy Birthday Sis, the cake looks divine. Have same birthday pala tayo january. I hope you had a blast day on your birthday.:)ReplyDelete
Your comments and constructive criticisms are highly appreciated. It will definitely help me improve my craft. Thank You Very Much.
I see to it that I'll visit you back. Have a Nice Day!
Find Me also at the following:
Deliciously Spicy Moments
36 Weeks After
Janz Crystalz Handcrafts


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Product 12/41
Concentric rings of copper and brass surround a white howlite stone. Stone is 8 mm, earrings are 20mm wide x 25mm long and hang from brass hooks.
Handcrafted by artisans of Brass Images, a community cooperative in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa.
This product was added to our catalog on Monday 04 November, 2013.


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The husband and wife team who set up the Bebo social networking site after meeting in a London pub are expected to make hundreds of millions of pounds from its sale to the AOL multimedia company.
British-born Michael Birch and Xochi, his American wife, spent years earning nothing from various internet ventures. They then hit on the idea of a website where users could communicate with friends, share photographs, watch videos and discover new music.
Launched in 2005, Bebo now has 40 million users worldwide, of which nearly 4.1 million are British, making it this country's third most popular networking site, behind Facebook and MySpace.
The site is largely used by teenagers, with Princess Beatrice among those who have posted their personal profiles. It is best known for its immensely successful online interactive teen drama KateModern, which attracted three million hits within the first three weeks of its launch last July.
Yesterday's announcement of the £415 million sale had been widely expected and shows the rising importance of social networking sites to the technology industry.
AOL has struggled in recent years to compete against the online dominance of Google, which has its own social networking site called Orkut, and Microsoft, which has a stake in Facebook. AOL, which is part of the Time Warner empire, hopes that the acquisition of Bebo will allow it to promote its instant messaging software to a new generation.
Mr and Mrs Birch, who live in San Francisco with their two children, both studied at Imperial College in London and worked as computer programmers. Their unsuccessful early projects included Lemonlink, an online address book, and Babysittingcircle.co.uk.
They first found success with Birthdayalarm.com, a site that reminded users of loved ones' birthdays, and Ringo, a forerunner to Bebo, which sold for several million dollars.
They are understood to own a 70 per cent stake in Bebo, which would see them receive about £290 million from the deal.
"When social networking came along, I just thought, 'Wow, something to do with computers and it's fun... this was invented for me," said Mr Birch, 37, who is known for his long hair and love of humorous T-shirts. His wife, 36, said: "We just had blind faith that if we made something very, very popular there would have to be some way of making some money out of it. But we didn't sit down and say, 'We have to make millions out of some kind of internet venture'.
"We have no business qualifications. We don't understand marketing, and we're not very good at it, so we're just glad Bebo has grown by word of mouth."
The couple, who are expected to leave the company to pursue other projects, chose the name Bebo because the website address was available cheaply.
In 2005, News Corp, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch, bought MySpace for £290 million, while Microsoft paid £123 million last year for a 1.6 per cent stake in Facebook.


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Being a violist, I've been aware of Robert Vernon by reputation for virtually my entire life. It wasn't until I was out of graduate school that I had the good fortune of meeting him. I was playing at a summer festival, and he came to coach the violas for several days. In spite of his best efforts to be approachable, we were all too intimidated by the presence of a living legend to stick our necks out there and really interact with him. Eventually, he appeared to resign himself to what is no doubt a frequent occurance for him, and set about showing us what was what, and guiding us along asking simple yes or no questions. Slowly but surely, he got what he wanted out of us, and imparted valuable knowledge about the responsibilities of an orchestral violist to us.
That teaching presence is what I remember most about those few days. He was sort of like Gandalf – giving his charges what they needed whether they wanted it (or knew they needed it) or not, and pulling a magical solution out of his hat that no one else had thought of whenever a problem seemed insurmountable. That presence is the single biggest reason why I've signed up to go to a week long seminar taught by himself and another luminary of the viola this summer.
If names like Primrose, Hindemith, Tertis and Borisovsky are most responsible for elevating the viola in the first part of the century, Robert Vernon's name certainly belongs in the second wave of leading violists, side by side with such names as Roberto Diaz, Karen Tuttle, Michael Tree and Heidi Castleman. When he retires from the Cleveland Orchestra at the conclusion of next season, the orchestra will have lost much more than the longest tenured string principal in the history of the orchestra. Thankfully, he does not to intend to retire from the the international music scene anytime soon.
"I'm not really retiring, I'm just leaving the orchestra. I do many other things, and I want to continue doing them," says Mr. Vernon. "I want to continue playing for the rest of my life."
Hopefully, that means that this summer's inaugural Vernon-Castleman Viola Seminar will be the first of many, and that many other violists will be able to learn from this master. Someday, when pedagogical tallies are made, count on Robert Vernon to have a very long tail indeed. In the meantime, Clevelanders have one more season to appreciate one of the best to ever play the instrument.
Information from Zachary Lewis' piece in the Cleveland Plain Dealer appeared in this piece.